


The Loneliness of Ladybugs

by TheWordsmithWolf



Series: Please Don't Say Goodbye [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, I've already made myself and my friend cry with this one, Identity Reveal, LOTS of anst, Mentions of Blood, Reveal Fic, The adrienette is only at the beginning tho, This was supposed to be a drabble, so much crying, wooo first published fic for ML
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-07-27 11:38:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7616557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWordsmithWolf/pseuds/TheWordsmithWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chat takes a hard hit, and it all goes downhill from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blood and Fire

      Heroes are always meant to be the lonely sort. You can never tell any one person what is troubling you, it’s always either your civilian life or your superhero life. The creature of Creation, the Lovely Lucky Ladybug, has never been any different. There have been thousands of Black Cats and Ladybugs. So many were able to live long and full lives, so many more however have perished in their line of duty. So many Ladybugs have had their wings torn from them, unable to fly without their loyal Black Cats.

      Marinette Dupain-Cheng was no different.

      It had been a difficult battle for the two heroes, this akuma was so full of rage and hurt, it was almost as though she didn’t want to be saved unlike most other victims of Hawk Moth’s black butterflies, who deep down really didn’t want to destroy their home and hurt their loved ones. She called herself La Explodanseuse, who was actually an aspiring ballet dancer who had been told by her role-model, that she should feel a burning shame when she dances, that she would never become a professional dancer. Now however she was fiery all-over, her leotard appeared to be made of smoldering embers, and her tutu was a swirling vortex of flame. On her pale face was a mask made of flickering fire, and deep within her eyes held a flame all their own.

      Chat Noir leapt at the akuma victim, claws outstretched for the ballet slipper charm on the girl’s bracelet.

      “I’m sorry Chaton! This dance isn’t a Pas de Deux!” The fiery dancer crowed, as she performed an arabesque pirouette, flinging a fireball from her slipper that hit the black suited superhero square in the chest.

      When the fireball hit him, it exploded in a terrible, sky-shattering blast. The concussion sent Chat flying backwards into a building, creating an impact crater in the stone and brick. Ladybug easily heard the sickening thud that echoed throughout the streets of Paris.

      She stopped in her tracks, _Chat_ , being the only coherent thought that was able to make itself through her mind. With the _zing_ of her yo-yo she sprang to his aid. He had already used his _Cataclysm_ to save civilians from getting crushed by a falling gargoyle. She picked him up and clutched the black-clad super hero to her chest.

      Thankful that their suits provided them with enhanced strength and reflexes she held him with one arm while swinging off with the other. She picked a tall roof, _He’ll be safe here. He’ll be safe_ , were the absent thoughts that crept their way into the fore-front of her mind.

      When she landed on the rooftop, she nearly sobbed with the way his head lolled and his body was nothing more than dead weight in her arms. The hero sank to her knees onto the concrete of the building’s roof, gently laying him down and minding his head.

      The cat-boy’s eyes were half-lidded and glossed over, his breathing was shallow and blood was slowly pooling under his head. He coughed, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. “My,” he coughed harder blood spattering his front. “My Lady, I-“

      “Chat please! Don’t talk, you need to save your strength. I-I-I can’t do this without you!” The red-clad super hero sobbed. “The Cure will fix you I promise. I just have to defeat La Explodanseuse an-an-and you’ll be alright!” She cried, as though trying to convince herself of it.

      The boy sighed sadly, “No.” The word was hard and cold like ice, soaked in sadness and almost mourning. “No my lady. Pl-Plagg won’t be able to hold my transformation much longer, and I can feel him trying to keep me alive.” A coughing fit now, each one growing more violent. “But, he can’t last much longer, and without him I won’t last,” Chat said with a hollow laugh. “It seems this cat is on his last life, hmm my Lady?” Another hollow laugh. “Ladybug,” His eyes were pleading. “If these are to be my last moments, _please_ ,” he begged now, and Ladybug’s heart broke. “Let me show you my identity, before I go,” on that last words the dying boy’s voice broke, tears began to run down his masked cheeks.

      Ladybug began to sob and nodded wordlessly, tears began to stream down her own cheeks. “Chaton” She wept as she stroked his hair, brushing his bangs out of his face.

      With a final _beep_ his miraculous released his transformation, green electricity flowed over his body, followed by black bubbles of chaos magic. Plagg was thrown from the ring and landed with a _thud_ next to his chosen’s head. Weakly floating to lay his paws against the boy’s cheek. “Adrien, I-I’m sorry.” The kwami’s eyes closed, tears forming darker lines in his black fur.

      Ladybug was frozen. _No. No no no!_ Was all that she could think. “A-A-Adrien I-I’m so _sorry_!” She wept then, sobs tearing their way through her chest. Silently she urged Tikki to release her transformation, and doing so the kwami flew to her companion through the millennia, placing a gentle consoling paw on his shoulder and looking down, silently, sullenly, and mourning with him.

      “Marinette,” a small, half-hearted smile on his paling face. “I’m glad that it’s you. I’m glad that you’re my Ladybug.” He reached up to caress her cheek.

      “Adrien I,” She didn’t know what to say then, she could confess, she could try to console him, _she couldn’t freeze and stutter now!_ “Adrien I’ve, always loved you” her heart broke again.

      But at that, there was a shining smile on his face. “My Lady loves me.” Tears began to form at the corners of his eyes now, his breath rattled in his chest. He turned to Plagg now. “Plagg, thank you. Thank you _so_ much for giving me the freedom I always dreamed of. Thank you for letting me be Chat Noir, to be a hero and help people. _Thank you Plagg._ ” The boy stressed, as his hand left Marinette’s cheek to scratch behind the Kwami’s velvet ears.

      The creature of misfortune and chaos gave a sad, and weak purr. “Adrien, you were the best Chat Noir I’ve had, in a very long time. Thank you for being Chat Noir.”

      Adrien stilled, growing weaker as the pool of blood under his head steadily grew, and as it grew Marinette’s sobbing did as well.

      “Oh, my lady. Why do you cry? I’ll always be with you. I _purr_ omise.” The pun was weak; it was nothing more than something trying to make them both feel better. His eyes grew misty then, getting a far-away and dreamy look. “My Lady, I think… I think that it is time for me to go now.” A soft smile grew on his lips. “I can see my mother, and you really do have her smile Marinette. I pawmise my lady, you’ll see me again someday, wherever it might be. But, I do have one last request? Will,” he coughed, “Will you please sing me to sleep?”

      Shakily, Marinette nodded wordlessly. She cleared her sore throat, sore from crying, sore from trying not to cry. She chose her favorite lullaby that her mom used to sing to her every night. It was fitting, she supposed. It was fitting.

      “Dor-“ Her voice broke, clearing her throat she started again. “Dors petit chat, dors petit chat. Rêve et ronronne bien au chaud dans les draps” His eyes began to drift shut, a small, sad smile on his face. “Dors petit chat, dors mon petit chat. La lune se balance au son de ma voix. La nuit es noire mon chaton.” His breathing was shallow; he was drifting away now. “Mais je veille sur toi mon ange. Dors petit chat, dors petit chat, Bientôt déjà le soleil se lèvera.” Marinette let the song hang there in the air.

      Plagg was weeping now, he had lost another kitten, and soon now; he would be sent back to sleep in his ring. “I, I’m sorry that we had to meet like this Ladybug. But, thank you. Thank you for taking care of him. I-“ now the Kwami’s voice broke, as memories of a thousand and more Black Cats drifted through his mind like leaves in a gale.  “I want you to take my miraculous back to the Guardian. He will decide if there is the need for another Cha-Chat Noir so soon.” Plagg managed to say, still choking back more tears.

      The lives of immortal beings, are harder than the lives of the finite. Those of immortality, are forced to watch countless loved ones die. Over and over they must out-live those close to them, and still they carry on. Plagg may come off as flippant and sarcastic, but what he hides beneath that jesting façade, is a cat who cares about every one of his kittens.

      “Au revoir coccinelles.” The black cat said quietly as black bubbles of magic and green electricity overtook him and in a flash the Kwami of the Black Cat was gone.

      Taking a deep breath, Marinette took Adrien’s cooling hand and slipped off his miraculous. “Goodbye Chaton,” She whispered one last time, before turning to her Kwami. “We have to end this all, for Adrien.” The red Kwami nodded. “Tikki, Spots on!” She yelled tearfully, and after her transformation was complete, she looked back at the still form of Adrien Agreste, making a silent vow that she would defeat Hawkmoth and bring him justice, before leaping off the building, yoyo in hand, to avenge her fallen partner.

 

* * *

 

 

      It was shocking, to see the spotted superhero carrying the body of a famous model after the battle with La Explodanseuse. Everyone had seen the ladybugs flying to fix all of the damage, to fix all of the buildings and to heal every wound. Except however, for one. The deep, aching wound in the heart of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

      She explained to the paramedics that she had found him, crushed under some rubble. That not even she could bring people back from the dead.

      Alya had caught the whole thing on camera, Chat Noir smashing into the wall, Ladybug fleeing with her partner in her arms, the battle, Ladybug bringing the limp body of Adrien Agreste to the paramedics, Ladybug flying away on her yoyo; to escape the eye of the public before her earrings timed out, the journalist thought she could see tears running down the hero’s face, perhaps she was mistaken.

 

* * *

 

 

      Marinette was mourning, the two boys in her life, had actually turned out to be the same boy and she lost him. She hardly ate, other than what she was forced to eat by her parents and Alya.

      The first few weeks were the hardest. Her family and everyone at school who knew of her crush, they just looked at her sadly, pitying. One day, she simply wept into Alya’s arms, not wanting to face their stares.

      After the first month, she thought of telling Alya the truth. She decided to talk about it with Tikki.

      Perhaps tomorrow then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.hitrecord.org/records/1804309  
> ^ the song Marinette sang to Adrien
> 
> Translations:
> 
> "Chaton" means "kitten" in French
> 
> A "Pas de Deux" is a ballet with two dancers
> 
> "Au revoir coccinelles" means "Goodbye Ladybugs" in French
> 
> Please note, I am still just learning French, and am by no means a master of the language so if there are mistakes please forgive them.


	2. A Reveal and a Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its finally here! And because I like the idea I've crafted, this will have at least one more chapter. Though knowing me when I have an idea I might turn the fic into something more.  
> Who knows though, this is me! I am hardly reliable!

    Returning the ring to Master Fu had been difficult. She… she wasn’t ready to replace him. She wanted to wait but. She couldn’t fight alone, not for long

    Hawkmoth’s Akuma had been getting stronger. They were too becoming too tough for her to handle alone. It had been hard, to come to the public that Chat Noir had in fact fallen in battle to La Explodanseuse. They were planning a memorial service, one that Marinette wasn’t looking forward to. It wasn’t that she didn’t _want_ him to be remembered as the hero he was. No, she wasn’t looking forward to having to look strong and brave in front of hundreds, if not thousands of people, not when she was feeling so broken and powerless inside.

    “Tikki, I-I can’t keep the secret anymore. I’m j-just so tired and I need to tell someone. Alya wouldn’t tell anyone. I know her, she would never!” Marinette said quietly, her voice weak from having been crying “Please.” She begged, on the verge of tears again. It was evening, the fading light of dusk was falling over the City of Light as its heroine was mourning in her room.

    Tikki looked troubled, she could feel the waves of despair flowing off of her Chosen, their bond transferring these feelings to the tiny god. “Marinette, I-I can’t stop you. If you feel this is a good idea. From what I know of Alya, I think she would keep your secret.” Tikki floated to place her hand on her Chosen’s cheek, trying to comfort the heartbroken girl.

    She was laying on her loft bed, her cheeks and the pillow under her head were stained with tears, both old and new. Marinette nodded stiffly. She pulled her phone, from its place under her side.

    After unlocking the phone, she scrolled through it and selected Alya’s contact. She thought for a moment, trying to choose her phrasing properly.

     **Hey Als, would you mind coming over?**

    The wait for a response was almost nothing, the icon to show that her best friend was typing a response popping up and staying briefly, before the return text was sent.

     **of course mari! i’ll be right over hun.**

    Marinette smiled at her friend’s response. After sending a quick answer of ‘k’ she settled back onto her bed. After a little, she decided to prepare herself to reveal her most tightly held secret to her best friend.

    She climbed carefully down from her loft, stretching after being curled up on her bed for so long. Her shirt was wrinkled, and her pigtails were in a state of dishevelment that told the tale of how long she had been laying down. Heaving a sigh, Marinette attempted to smooth her rumpled white shirt.

    Sighing at the near hopeless task, Marinette decided to fix her hair. Pulling out the bands, she went to retrieve a brush from her vanity. With long measured strokes she pulled the brush through her black hair. Wincing at the pain etched memory of Chat doing the same once, the sweet caring boy had offered to brush her hair for her before she went to bed, with a remark of, “who is better than a cat at grooming?”

    The memory threatened to set her crying again. Instead however she gripped the edge of her vanity with her eyes shut tight and her face pinched in an expression of pained effort. Trying her hardest not to start crying again, she didn’t want to start crying before Alya got here, that would lead to her chickening out on telling her the secret that Marinette had called her over to tell.

    Taking slow measured breaths, the waves of pain and sorrow subsiding, leaving a dull ache in their place. After the negative feelings returned to the dull aching place where they came from, she laughed mirthlessly, “Hawkmoth would have a field day with me huh, well if I were able to be akumatized that is.” Marinette sighed, and then returned to her chaise, sitting on the light pink cushion and leaning her elbows on her knees.

    She could faintly hear the opening of a door through the floor, hearing the voice of Alya, presumably greeting her mother with a knowing look and a cheerful smile. Marinette smiled as she imagined her friend, the other girl’s boisterous personality was charming, if only occasionally annoying but in an endearing manner.

    She heard the girl bounding up the steps to her trapdoor, before the door in her floor crept open. Alya climbed through, revealing that she was carrying a shopping bag, a tray of snacks, and two spoons. “Heyy gurl, I brought snacks and your favorite, strawberry ice cream.” The red-head said quietly, as she moved slowly as if to avoid startling a wild animal.

    Marinette took a breath, and composed herself, a smile finding its way to her face because of the thoughtfulness of her best friend. “A-Alya I have something to tell you, something that you probably won’t believe an-and that will be very hard to explain.” Her courage wavering, Marinette waited for her friend’s response.

    Confused but supportive, Alya nodded, setting the spoons, treats and bag on Marinette’s desk before sitting in the other girl’s pink desk chair. Rolling so that they were facing one another, Alya replied, “Alright Mari spill.” Her face was concerned and open as she waited for her friend to tell her what was so heavily weighing on her.

    Taking another steadying breath, Marinette decided to just be out with it. “I-I’m Ladybug. I’ve always been Ladybug, all of the absences, the missed assignments, the excuses. Everything, I-I’ve been saving Paris for- well I mean, since the beginning of the school year and I… I miss Chat.” She rambled, then sobbed the last sentence. Her eyes were screwed shut, tears trickling their way down her cheeks.

    Alya was stunned, she hadn’t expected this. She didn’t know _what_ she had expected but certainly not that her best friend was the hero she looked up to so much. “Mari, I- honey come here.” She said, slipping onto the chaise and wrapping her arms around the girl who was obviously trying not to start sobbing. Running her hands over the girl’s black hair she said quietly as she tucked Marinette under her chin and rubbing her arm comfortingly. “Ok Mar, tell me everything. Get it off your chest sweetie.” She cooed soothingly, trying to get her best friend to calm down.

    “I-It started on the first day of school, there was an old man who nearly walked into traffic, and I helped him. Remember the macarons? Hehe they all broke when I dropped them while trying to help him. And then, when I got home after Stoneheart first appeared, I found a strange octagonal box, li-like a ring box, sitting on my vanity. In it I found these earrings an-and Tikki.” Suddenly realizing that she forgot to introduce Alya to the little red god, she said. “T-Tikki its ok to come out now.” Her voice shook but she was comforted when the little being flew to hug her Chosen’s cheek.

    Now Alya was, rather surprised at the sudden appearance of a tiny creature that looked like a ladybug with an oversized head and large ancient eyes. Her first response was to squeak, and nearly shout something about a big bug. The squeak she failed to prevent, her eyes blown wide with the shock that she was in fact, in the presence of a magical being. The shouting she managed to control however, unable to form the words anyway.

    Tikki cleared her throat, a small smile on her face, “Hello Alya, my name Tikki. I’m Ladybug’s, that is to say Marinette’s, Kwami! I help Marinette transform into Ladybug, and give her all of her powers.” The little god explained, trying to keep the startled girl calm.

    That’s when the babbling began. At first, Alya’s mouth began to move but no sound emerged from her lips. After a few moments of that wordless sounds began to spew from her. “I-I whah? Buh eh wheh? When di- _how_!” She finished, whisper-shouting. “Ok, so wh-what did the old man have to do with this?” She questioned, Marinette could sense that her friend’s reporter instincts were kicking in, driving her to ask questions and get answers.

    Marinette coughed, clearing her throat and gathering her scattered thoughts. “Well, the old man is named Master Fu, he is known as the Guardian. His duty is to protect the Miraculous and choose wielders for them. He… He chose me a-and Chat on the first day of school. When Hawkmoth first showed himself.” Marinette looked away briefly. “He chooses people, from my experience, by their character. For me he put himself in harm’s way and I protected him, I got him out of danger. An-And that’s why, I assume, he chose me to be Ladybug.” She laughed a little, not cheerful or happy, but simply to fill a silence.

    Alya nodded, “Alright,” Then the thought struck her, why Marinette had been so distant, so depressed recently. “You lost him, oh Marinette.” She said quietly her voice low. “You lost Chat Noir, Mari I’m so sorry, Paris may have lost a hero, but you, you lost a friend.” Alya hugged the black haired superhero, her grip was comforting and hard. “Sweetie come here, its ok to cry.” Alya soothed as Marinette wept again into her arms.

    After her tears had subsided once more, Marinette looked to Tikki, silently asking her if it would be ok to tell her _why_ she had been withdrawing in on herself lately.

    Her Kwami nodded, a silent gesture accompanied by a small comforting hand on her shoulder.

    “A-Alya, there’s.. There’s something else.” Marinette sniffed, rubbing at her red, puffy eyes with the heel of her hand. “I- Well, A-Adrien was, he was Chat Noir.” She finished, her voice breaking. “A-And I lost them. I wah-wah-was so b-blind!” She said, her tears renewed, she wept into her friend’s shoulder.

    It took a moment for this new information to sink in for Alya. It was easy for her to see Marinette as Ladybug, both of them were kind, brave, strong, with a dozen other adjectives that could describe them. But Adrien as the flirty, punny, flippant, black cat? She had to admit, that it was a little hard to match their personalities. Though, remembering something from months ago, she had made the connection herself. Having drawn a black suit and cat ears on a picture of the model, Marinette having totally dismissed her idea.

    “Oh Marinette. I’m, so sorry.” She remembered the memorial service that the Mayor had decided to put on for Chat Noir. He had even declared that the day that the service would be held on would be known from now on as “Chat Noir Day”, at first the idea had seemed silly, but now Alya agreed with him. Chat Noir deserved to be remembered. He deserved the recognition.

     Giving her friend a tight squeeze, Alya asked. “Do you think you’ll be up to it? The ceremony is on Saturday. That’s in two days Mari.” 

    Marinette pulled back from the hug with a determined look on her face. “I have to, for Chat. F-For Adrien.” She replied. “N-Now, since we-we have that out of the way. C-Could we watch a movie or something. Though I think that the ice cream might have to go in the freezer for a bit.” Marinette smiled, the first genuine smile she had produced since La Explodanseuse ruined everything. She still couldn’t blame the Akuma, she had been only a victim of a far more sinister enemy. She would destroy Hawkmoth, if it was the last thing she did. 

    “Oh shit,” Alya swore, jumping up to go run the ice cream back to the freezer in the Dupain-Cheng kitchen.

    When she came back, Marinette had already set her laptop up on the chaise, spare pillows and blankets making their usual ‘movie watching’ fort.

    They fell into a comfortable silence, it felt nice. For once since Adrien died, Marinette felt like everything would be alright. She decided, that tomorrow she would go see Master Fu. She had introduced him to her parents a while back, soon after the Volpina incident. Since then, it was common for them if Marinette said she was going to Master Fu’s. Whether it was for help with her “homework”, which usually meant secret Miraculous training or even on occasion he really did help her with her homework, or to help him around Paris or bring him baked goods. Master Fu had become a good friend of the Dupain-Chengs.

    She hadn’t seen Fu, not since she had returned the ring. She hadn’t wanted to see him more because all it did was make her heart ache for the boy she lost. However, when she did think of him, she thought of his Kwami, Plagg. How he was hurting, without anyone to mourn with, locked in his ring.

    When the movie ended it was well after midnight and Alya insisted on staying over. The aspiring reporter shot a text to her parents asking them if she could spend the day with Marinette, they agreed, knowing how bad her best friend had been taking the death of their mutual friend.  After getting their response that it was alright, she settled down on the chaise where Marinette was dozing. A while after the other girl fell asleep, Alya sprang into action.

    She carefully extracted herself from Marinette’s hold, laying the sleeping girl down so that she lay comfortably. She gently scooped up the sleeping Kwami, the little red god nestled in the small plush bed that Marinette had made for her. Poking her tummy softly, Alya put a finger to her lips for quiet as the big blue eyes of the Ladybug Kwami looked up at her, a look of confusion and questioning on her face.

    Tikki floated out of the girl’s palm as she motioned to the bug to follow her. Alya climbed the stairs to Marinette’s bed and when she reached the top, she unlatched the trapdoor and crept out of it being sure to close it behind her. Though Tikki could have phased through it, Alya held it open for the tiny being to float through before carefully closing.

    When the two were settled, with Alya sitting on the side of the lounge chair that was facing away from the trapdoor, while Tikki sat on the stone ledge so that they could look each other in the eye.

    With a deep breath, Alya started, “Look, I want to know who this Fu guy is. I need to be able to protect her.” Alya was torn, the Ladyblog was her pièce de résistance, her most treasured accomplishment. But Marinette meant so much more to her, her first friend at Collège Françoise Dupont and the best friend she’s ever had. With the revelation that Ladybug and Marinette were one in the same, Alya had vowed that she would protect her. Adrien had _tried_ , and it had cost him his life, but now Alya would bear the burden for her. She had to protect the sweet girl. No matter what. “Please Tikki, I don’t know if you can talk to him somehow, or if I could go see him and talk to him. But I need to become Chat Noir. For Marinette.”

    Tikki was surprised, she hadn’t expected this. She knew that Alya was headstrong, cocky, too smart for her own good, and an obvious choice to wield a Miraculous. However, she hadn’t been expecting to be directly asked about it. Tikki knew it was unusual, but she agreed she felt like the girl before her would be a perfect match for Plagg. Plagg would like her, she’s feisty and doesn’t listen to anyone, just like him. The little god nodded, “I can let him know your wishes. But it is up to him, should he decide to give you a Miraculous, what Miraculous you would receive. Trixx would like her, always sneaking into places she didn’t belong for the sake of her blog. But she wanted Plagg, it was of course up to Master Fu, but Tikki hoped that she would be given the ring.

    Tikki summoned the connection that was shared between Kwami, singling out Wayzz she pushed at his sleeping consciousness, willing him to wake. ‘Wayzz, its Tikki, Marinette couldn't bear being alone anymore. She told her best friend, Alya, the Ladyblog girl. She wants to be the Black Cat. I think she would suit Plagg. Please tell Fu. They are coming tomorrow, I felt it from Marinette. Marinette doesn’t know about her friend, goodnight Wayzz’ She could feel the sleepy but knowledgeable confirmation from her longtime friend.

    Nodding her head slowly, Tikki smiled softly. “He will know now. It is time to go back to sleep.” The Kwami and girl returned through the trapdoor to join the sleeping Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have another idea for an AU I've been working on, so if that ever happens you heard it here first!


	3. Nightmares

   The morning was bright and chilled. It was late October and the sky was clear with hardly a cloud to be seen. Marinette woke, tousled and yawning in her bed. Confused, she looked around to find Alya on her chaise. Since Adrien had passed, Marinette hadn’t been getting very much sleep. For once, since his death, she hadn’t had a nightmare. Most of the nightmares had been the two heroes frolicking though the city, laughing, playing games, and competing with one another. All of these particular nightmares lead to him falling from somewhere high, and she being unable to catch him, hearing a crunch, a splat, a thud. Then silence, a heart wrenching silence.

 

    Others involved them sitting on the tower, laughing and joking, a bag of snacks and sodas between them, what used to be a normal end of patrol ritual for the two teenaged superheroes.

 

     When suddenly he would turn to her. Ask her, “My lady, do you care about me?” always she would answer “Yes mon minou, of course I do.”, she would reach up to touch his cheek. He would tilt his head and give her a smile, however this was one quite unlike any she had ever seen him wear, it was a grin full of malice and hate. The grin split his face in a horrific way, an angry slash of a smile. The feline hero’s face would contort into a mask of rage, and as his skin melted away as though touched by his own Cataclysm as the cityscape melted into a white void. She was left with only a gleaming white skull in her hands, its jaw would clack open and shut, and directly in her ear Adrien’s voice would whisper vehemently, “ _Then why didn’t you save me!_ ”

 

    Sometimes, after that she would wake up breathing heavily with tears slipping down her cheeks. But others, in her nightmare, she would drop the skull shrieking, hands flying to her mouth in horror. When the skull landed at her feet, it let out the sickening thud that Chat’s body had made when it hit the wall, and shattered into pieces. From part of the skull that still lay at her feet, millions of Akuma would erupt to encircle her in a vortex of malicious intent and tissue paper wings. A deep echoing laugh that she assumed was Hawkmoth’s reverberated through the void.

 

    That ending always left her waking in a cold sweat with a scream erupting from her throat and quickly dying, not wanting to wake her parents.

 

    Now however, she woke from a pleasant dream that she couldn’t quite remember. There were longing glances of blond hair, the barest glimpses of bright green eyes, a flashing smile that could make her heart melt. But nothing but those fragments, they weren’t nightmares, and they didn’t bleed like her nightmares did. However, they hurt all the same, mourning the boy she lost.

 

    “Mmmmhh,” came from below her. Alya obviously stirring, she stretched languidly, and giving a startled cry as she fell to the floor.

 

    “Oof,” Alya exhaled when she landed, rubbing her backside slightly as it hurt from her rough landing, “Good morning,” she grumbled as Marinette giggled at her friend’s fall. With a yawn, paired with another stretch with her throwing her fists skyward and causing her back to pop.

 

    Alya looked up to Marinette and smiled, “So hun, what’re we up to today.” She stood, stretching once again, and walked to Marinette’s closet where some of her clothes were stashed.                

 

    Choosing a white ruffled blouse with elbow length fitted sleeves. Screwing up her face, Alya looked at her choices for pants. Selecting a pair of plain grey jeans, plain save for a pair of rhinestone ladybugs on the back pockets. The blouse was made by Marinette, and the jeans Alya bought and then asked Marinette to alter. “I’m gonna go change Mari. Don’t miss me too much!” Alya laughed as she walked to Marinette’s bathroom to go change her clothes.

 

    Marinette put a hand to her mouth and giggled, this is the best she had been feeling since it happened. She smiled, really smiled, this having been the first time she had done so for a month. Marinette descended from her bed, taking careful steps to the floor. Taking her time, she walked to a large armoire she had gotten as a gift from a relative in China some years ago.

 

     Perusing her options, she decided on a tribute to her fallen partner today. A black high-low halter neck dress, the front of the ruffled layered skirt came to her lower thigh, while the back of the skirt sat at her mid-calf. The dress had pockets on the front, like many of Marinette’s designs, the pulls on the zippers were metal rectangles with the ends wider than the base, with a lime green paw print embossed into them.

 

    Choosing a Gabriel formal collection black shoulder bag, it was rectangular and sleek, with sloping sides and a curved flap, there were silver accents made of a shiny metal. These accents ran along bottom of the curved flap; they were in the shape of cat paws. The bag was in a collection dedicated to Paris’ heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir, and was a gift from Adrien. Wearing it, just felt right.

 

     She changed in her room while Alya changed in the bathroom. Using the mirror of her vanity, Marinette decided to do her makeup, not much- just foundation, some blush, a light pink lip gloss she was fond of. She did however put some effort into her eyes. A cat eye and a touch of green at the corners.

 

    Alya emerged from her bathroom and grinned, striking an only slightly ridiculous pose. “Are you ready to go?” She asked, grabbing her phone off the chaise.

 

    “Almost,” replied Marinette, checking herself in the mirror once more before opening her bag for Tikki. “C’mon Tikki let’s go!” Marinette laughed as her Kwami zipped into the small black bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean most of this, I was trying to design the clothes.  
> Soooo sorry if they aren't actually fashionable?? I don't know a damn thing about fashion soooooo.


End file.
